Never As It Seems
by Victoria Darlin
Summary: Victoria "Tori" is the biological daughter of David and Holly Vega but she was left in the care of the outgoing coconut loving acting teacher at Hollywood Arts. Tori soon finds herself as a student at HA and is slowly falling in love with Beck Oliver. How will she deal with school, a love life, and the drama of her two families all at the same time? Will she survive?


**Tori's Point of View**

I walk into the artsy upbeat school that my father has the privilege to work at. If you ask me, half of the student here actually have talent and are able to attend for free, and the other half are the snobby rich bitches who have less talent than a barf bag and their parents pay thousands of dollars in tuition for them to attend the school. And the school in question is none other than Hollywood Arts. The school you attend if you want to waste your life trying to become famous.

I wonder the halls as kids pass by and give me strange looks. I roll my eyes and ignore them, guess they aren't use to having visitors at the school.

"Hey Trina why have you been spreading rumors about us dating?" a voice approaches me and I turn around to see an olive-toned guy around my age. I give him a questioning look and his eyes widen a little bit.

"I'm so sorry! I thought you were someone else. Please don't pay attention to what I said earlier." He almost begs me and I let out a small laugh.

"Don't worry, I won't tell a soul." I wink at him and start to walk away. Granted I have never met my biological sister, I never thought I would ever get mistaken for her, I mean, I guess I just underestimate the power of the human mind.

After getting directions from two students and a puppet (don't ask) I am finally able to find my dad's class room. I open the door and thankfully there are no students in the room.

"Dad?" I question as a figure enters into the room from the window.

"Victoria! Darling! What brings you to my place of work? Do you come baring coconuts?" he questions me and I laugh while handing him a one from my purse.

"So I heard that Sherwood is having a talent show at Karaoke Dokie tonight. Are you partaking in it?" I let out a groan and give him a look of 'are you kidding me'.

"Dad, I know you want what's best for me, but I don't have talent. When I sing, I sound like a cat is being slowly murdered by water." He rolls his eyes at me and begins to open is mouth to object as the school bell rings.

"Need me out?" I sigh and he nods his head. I'm used to not being allowed in the classroom with my dad while his students are there. He simply doesn't want to mix his personal life with his social life.

Once again, the halls are filled with life as the silence is overtaken by clamor.

_Hey I just met you, and this is crazy, but here's my number so call me maybe. _My phone rings a familiar tune. I pull it out of my pocket and see it's a text from my best friend.

_Tori can you help me practice for tonight? I heard there will be scouts and judges from HA! You know how much I want to go there. Please?_

_Xoxo Anna_

Before I could text a response, I bump right into someone.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry! Here let me help get that out." I start to rub the newly formed coffee stain on the stranger's white V-neck.

"I think you are making it worse." The stranger tells me and I look up to see the guy that I ran into earlier today. I notice that I'm still rubbing the stain and I force myself to stop.

"Hey I remember you from earlier today. You thought I was some crazy chick who was spreading a rumor about us dating." I smirk and her rolls his eyes.

"I'm still sorry about that… Name's Beck by the way." He smiles a crooked smile and one seems to find its way onto my face as well. He reaches his hand out for a shake and I place my hand in his.

"Nice too meet you Beck, I'm Victoria."

Our hands seem to linger in each other's grasp. I just stare at how perfectly they fit together. It was almost as if our hands were made to be a pair.

I look up and almost instantly our eyes meet. We stand there in silence. Almost as if it was too precious, too delicate, to break.

I don't know how long we stood there but as soon as I broke eye contact the halls were empty and each student was listening intently to their teacher.

"I um should probably get going…" I finally break the silence.

"Yeah, I should be getting to class as well…" we go to walk away, but before we could take our first step away from each other but our hands still seemed to be interlinked.

"Maybe we should…" I start the sentence but my voice fades out. Part of me doesn't want to let go of his hand though. _What am I talking about? He's a complete stranger. I should want to let go of his hand as soon as I get the chance_. But something about him seems so familiar and so welcoming.

"Oh yeah right…" he hesitates to let go, but the next thing I know, my hand in laying by my side empty. Incomplete.

He starts to walk away and it kills me inside. I find a scrap sheet of paper and quickly scribble my name and number down on it.

"Beck wait!" I call out to him and half run half walk over to where he stopped. "Here's my number. Maybe we can keep in touch. I mean you seem like a cool guy and a great friend." I smile and hold out the paper to him. _Why did it pain me so much to say friend? I mean that is what we'll become. I can't possibly be feeling anything towards him, I don't even know him._

"I'd like that." He smiles and takes the paper with my number on it before turning the corner and disappearing.

**Beck's Point of View**

I walk into Sikowitz's class a few minutes late and see Sikowitz talking to Helen. I slowly make my way to my seat hoping to not be noticed by either of them.

"Lord Beck, what took you so long and why do you have a giant coffee stain on your shirt?" Jade, my ex-girlfriend, asks me. I will say, I'm happy Jade and I are still friends after we broke up, I mean she is like a best friend to me now and things seem much more natural as opposed to us dating.

"I bumped into someone and we started to talk." I tell her. I mean it wasn't a complete lie.

"Really? It looked like you were making goo goo eyes at some girl that looks like Trina." Andre responds and I give him a look. "I mean not that there is anything wrong with that." Smooth move Andre. Smooth.

"Oh you guys are talking about that girl with those cheekbones! She looks nothing like Trina! She's hot!" Rex inserts his two cents and we all stare to look at him. "I mean did you see her cheekbones? They are like—" Robbie covers Rex's mouth and the rest of Rex's comment is inaudible.

"Did you hear that the school is sending scouts to some high school talent show tonight?" Robbie asks.

"Why would they do that? A stupid talent show doesn't mean you will have enough talent to come to school here." Jade responds and I nod in agreement.

"Who knows, there might be someone with talent that is out of this world. And plus, it would be cool to have a new face wondering the halls." Andre interjects.

"So did you get her number?" Cat pokes me. We all give her a questioning look. "The girl that looks like Trina. Did you get her number?"

"Oh yeah." I say as I pull out the sheet of paper in my pocket. I input it into my phone contacts to make sure I don't forget before I lose the paper.

Andre goes to say something but Sikowiz has turned his attention back to the class.

"Alrighty class, I was asked to take a few of you with me to be guest judges for a talent show taking place at Karaoke Dokie. So Beck, Jade, Andre, Cat, and Robbie you will be coming with me and it is in a few hours so go home and get ready, I already got approval from Helen to have y'all leave early. So go." Sikowitz tells us.

Jade, Andre, Cat, Robbie and Rex, and I stand up, grab our bags, and walk out the class room.

"So we get to judge a bunch of sucky high school students who think they have talent… This should be a lot of fun." Jade smirks and sticks another pair of scissors in her locker.

"Good thing this won't be like American Idol or whatever so Jade can't completely crush their dreams…" Andre states and most of us nod in agreement.

"That's what you think… I'll see y'all at Karaoke Dokie." Jade says before walking out of the building.

The rest of the gang and I are quick to follow.

**Tori's Point of View**

"You ready Anna?" I ask her. We are backstage at Karaoke Dokie and Anna keeps pasing back and forth. She has a white robe draped over her outfit and she has yet to take the curler out of her hair yet.

"I… I can't do it. I'm too nervous. You have to fill in for me. Please." She turns to me and gives me her puppy dog eyes.

"Anna this is your shot. Plus I can't sing even if I tried." I tell her and she rolls her eyes.

"Tori you are crazy if you think you don't have good voice. I've heard you writing your own songs before. If anyone can do this, it's you. Please fill in for me. Please." She continues to plead.

"Fine I'll do it!" I tell her and she squeals. She runs to the MC of the event and tells him the change in plans.

"I still need something to wear and what am I singing?" I ask her as soon as she comes back.

"I told him you are singing an original song and I have an outfit for you in this bag." She tells me and hands me the bag. She begins to push me to the bathroom to change. "I also have the instrumental for all your songs so you can chose!" she yells after I lock the bathroom door. Why do I feel like she planned to do this all along?

As soon as I step out of the bathroom Anna rushes over to me with my laptop and we begin to scroll through all the songs that I never got around to doing the vocals for.

"I think I want to do a song I haven't recorded yet." I tell her and she pulls my guitar case out from behind the plant.

"I had a feeling you would say that." She smirks. Honestly what would she have done if I said no? She has like everything figured out to a t.

"I might need you to sing backup for me." I tell her and she nods taking off her robe to reveal a completely black outfit that backup vocalists normally wear. What the fuck? Did she plan have this in mind the whole time she should have been preparing for the show?

"Alright Anna, this was your intention this whole time wasn't it because you are so prepared for this it's not funny." I say and she starts to laugh.

"It was your dad's idea. He really wants to see you doing something you love and that other people will love you too. He wants you to get over your 'mental stage fright'." She tells me and I roll my eyes. Of course this was my dad's idea. I shouldn't be surprised.

"Now get out there and show everyone that you are more than just a pretty face. Show them that Tori Sikowitz has talent." She tells me before pushing me onto the stage.

The room is pitch black. I find the stool and sit down. My guitar rests on my lap in and I place my fingers in the proper position for the first cord.

The sound crew wired a face microphone on me backstage and now they quickly place one on the guitar so that the sound is amplified a little more.

I give the MC a nod saying that I'm ready. A spotlight focuses on me and I take in a deep breath.

**Beck's Point of View**

The spot light comes on and in the center of it is a petite figure in an olive green draped tank, black skinny jeans, and tan boots. Her brunette hair is in waves cascading down her shoulders.

"Beck isn't that girl from earlier today?" Jade asks me and I shrug. Now that I think of it, it does look a lot like Victoria.

"My name is Victoria, or as some of you know me Tori, and this is an original song I wrote called 'Dear Mr. President'." She tells the crowd and she starts to play a few cords on her guitar. I can see Sikowitz smiling from the corner of my eye.

"Dear Mr. President,

Come take a walk with me.

Let's pretend we're just two people and

You're not better than me.

I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly.

What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street?

Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep?

What do you feel when you look in the mirror?

Are you proud?

How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?

How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?

How do you walk with your head held high?

Can you even look me in the eye

And tell me why?

Dear Mr. President,

Were you a lonely boy?

Are you a lonely boy?

Are you a lonely boy?

How can you say

No child is left behind?

We're not dumb and we're not blind.

They're all sitting in your cells

While you pave the road to hell.

What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away?

And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay?

I can only imagine what the first lady has to say

You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine.

How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?

How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?

How do you walk with your head held high?

Can you even look me in the eye?

Let me tell you 'bout hard work

Minimum wage with a baby on the way

Let me tell you 'bout hard work

Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away

Let me tell you 'bout hard work

Building a bed out of a cardboard box

Let me tell you 'bout hard work

Hard work

Hard work

You don't know nothing 'bout hard work

Hard work

Hard work

Oh

How do you sleep at night?

How do you walk with your head held high?

Dear Mr. President,

You'd never take a walk with me.

Would you?" she finishes singing and the reaction from the crowd was one that we have never seen before. They loved her. Not to mention that song was the perfect way to end the talent show.

The gang and I exchange a knowing glance. Granted they give us a few minutes to decide, we are all on the same page.

"She is the first one I don't have anything bad to say about. She wins. The end." Jade states and we all nod.

All the contestants walk out on stage and I walk on stage to announce the winner.

"And the winner of Sherwood's seventh annual talent show is… Ms. Victoria!" I clap along with her peers. One girl storms off stage and Victoria looks as though she has seen a ghost.

"Are—Are you sure I won?" She asks me and I hand her the piece of paper with her name on it. She smiles and takes a bow. I hand her an envelope with the prize in it and give her a hug. Her and I were about to walk off stage when Helen come up.

"That's not all you got missy. I would like to offer you a full ride to Hollywood Arts. A girl with talent like you is exactly what the school needs. What do you say?" I can't believe my ears. Helen just offered a full scholarship to someone based off of a talent show. Helen hardly gives offers like this.

"She'll take it." I speak for her and Helen smiles.

"Wonderful, you will start tomorrow." Helen says before walking off the stage. Victoria turns and slaps my arm.

"Ow. What was that for?" I ask acting like I'm in pain.

"For telling her I would be attending your school! What if I don't want to?" she asks me kind of upset.

"Come on, you will love it there, it's not as bad as it looks." I tell her. She sighs before giving in.

"Fine! But under one condition." She tells me.

"What is it?"

"You have to help me find all my classes, tell me all the ins and outs of the school and help me get friends." She says.

"That's easy. I accept you challenge, and I will introduce you to a group of people that will change your life. And I may or may not be one of them." I smirk and she slaps my arm again.

"Don't act so conceded." She laughs before walking off stage.

Part of me cannot wait for tomorrow to come. The other part is worried that the rest of the gang won't like her.

_**A/N: Alright so this is my new multi chapter story. It will be rated T because I will curse a lot for no reason and because I can. For those of you who have a twitter follow me KelliMelliWelli. I love you guys I hope you love this story, I know it's different, and this is the beginning, we will be getting into how Sikowitz ended up with Tori and his daughter and we will explore how Tori's family reacts to not seeing her after 16 years. Who else is super excited for the rest of this story? I know I am! Alright guys and gals, stay beautiful!**_

_**~Kelli**_


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